Matthew 12:6

One greater. Textual evidence attests (cf. p. 146) the reading “[something] greater,” a neuter, rather than “[someone] greater,” masculine. In the latter case reference would, of course, be to Christ.

“[Something] greater” would refer to the spirit of true worship (see John 4:23, 24) in contrast with the materials out of which the Temple had been built and with the forms of worship conducted there. If the Temple itself were exempt from the Sabbatic restrictions against labor, how could the Master of the Temple, whose “house” it was, and who was therefore “greater than the temple,” be cited for Sabbathkeeping? To the Jews the Temple was more sacred than any other object on earth; yet here Christ affirms that He is greater than even the Temple — a bold claim indeed. He is “greater than the temple” — He is “Lord even of the sabbath day,” the most sacred of religious institutions (Matt. 12:8). Christ points out that both the Temple and the Sabbath were ordained to the service of man, not to lord it over him. Man was not made in order that there might be someone to worship in the Temple and to observe the Sabbath; rather, these were to serve man (see on Mark 2:27).